MP for Beckenham found guilty of racial abuse

The Tory MP for Beckenham, Bob Stewart, has been found guilty of racially abusing an activist by telling him to “go back to Bahrain”.

The court heard the MP told Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei “you’re taking money off my country, go away” during a row in Westminster on December 14 last year.

Mr Alwadaei had said to the MP: “Bob Stewart, for how much did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime?”

Mr Stewart replied: “Go away, I hate you. You make a lot of fuss. Go back to Bahrain.”

In footage played during a trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today, he also said: “Now shut up, you stupid man.”

The chief magistrate, Paul Goldspring, found the MP guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence but said Stewart would be spared jailed.

He fined the MP £600, with additional legal costs bringing the total to £1,435.

The Met launched an investigation into the incident after a complaint was made by Mr Alwadaei.

Asked how he felt after the incident, the activist said: “I feel that I was dehumanised, like I was someone who is not welcomed in the UK.

Prosecutor Paul Jarvis said Mr Stewart had “demonstrated racial hostility towards Mr Alwadaei by way of his comments”, and while he was “not motivated by racial hostility”, he had demonstrated it.

Mr Stewart said: “My life has been, I don’t want to say destroyed, but I am deeply hurt at having to appear in a court like this.

“‘Go back to Bahrain’ meant why don’t you go back to Bahrain and make your point there?”

Parliamentary records show Stewart registered flights, accommodation and meals worth £5,349 during a four-day trip to Bahrain last November paid for by its ministry of foreign affairs.

Pictured top: Conservative MP Bob Stewart was found guilty of racially aggravated public order offence at Westminster Magistrates’ Court (Picture: PA)